QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT OF TWO SPECIES OF PORTULACA OBTAINED BY USING MICROWAVE ASSISTED EXTRACTION AND ITS VALIDATION

Portulaca oleracea and Portulaca quadrifida have been used traditionally have been used for their pharmacological properties and consumed as a part of the diet. Anti-oxidative property of phytochemicals might play a role in their observed benefits, and phenolic compounds are known to be the major contributors towards the anti-oxidant property of phytochemicals. The objective of this study was to quantify the total phenolic content of extracts obtained by microwave extraction of these plant species using a validated technique. The plant species were collected and authenticated. Microwave-assisted extraction of separate plant parts using different solvents was carried out. The total phenolic content was measured using a modified Folin-Ciocalteau method, and the method was validated for linearity, range, limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery, and precision. Amongst the tested extracts, the ethanolic extract of P. oleraceae seed contained the highest amount of total phenolic compounds. The stated method for quantifying total phenolic compounds was found to be precise and reliable, and the further study of the anti-oxidant property of these two plant species need to be conducted.